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Question:

Hello,

I have a question concerning a man who has been coming to the Lord's church recently. This man has been coming for about three months now and does not seem to be all there in the head or he is just really weird. From what he has told us he has no family or friends who really care about him. He also will not tell us where he lives, I suspect because of bad living conditions. Myself and and a few other church members have approached him about becoming saved, but he does not seem to get it and he gets all upset like he does not want to talk about it, so everyone just kind of gave up on him after their first attempts including myself.

The worst part about it is this man does not practice good hygiene at all. He smells like he is soaked from head to toe in cat feces and last Sunday I think he was having an anal leakage problem and the smell was so awful everywhere he sat and even when he left the smell was so putrid the two chairs he sat on had to be cleaned. I feel so bad for him because no one at the church wants to talk to or be around him because he stinks so bad and is so weird and he also scares some of the members (so they say).

My husband and I are the only ones who talk to him because I don't want to upset God but it is hard because of the smell. He even said one day no one wants to sit by him to me so I try to sit by him most of the time. What do you do in a situation like this? Should we keep trying to convince him to get saved? Should we tell him he has to take a bath and be more clean? One guest preacher came and tried to talk to him once and he told us that this man might be pardoned by God for not being all there in the head. What would you do?

Answer:

You are probably dealing with a homeless man. His mental problems could be caused by a variety of issues -- from genetic to drugs. What I suggest doing is contacting several of the homeless shelters in the area and ask them for advice as far as getting him help.

In general, though, I find that when dealing with people who have trouble processing information kind, polite, but direct works the best. When people try to be polite they often become vague, which typically doesn't work because the other person can't follow the hints. So simply ask him when has he last had a bath and tell him that people would have an easier time talking to him if he washes before coming.

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